Change on the Rise [On Hold]

03. Second Chance at First Line (Part One)

Scottie and Stiles reached the lacrosse field just as Coach Finstock had begun announcing their first task.

"Let's go! One-on-one from up top!" Coach instructed, turning to look at Jaxon, who was running onto the field. "Jaxon -- take a long stick today."

[Jackson nods and drops the stick he was holding in favor of the longer one that Coach instructed him to take before running back onto the field. "Atta girl!"

Jaxon took her place on the field, and when Coach blew her whistle, she scooped up a ball and the team started the play. The players ran around the field, passing the ball to each other and shoulder - checking their opponents as they try to score a goal, with Coach watching with a focused expression as she followed their movements from the sidelines.

"That's how you do it, Jaxon!" Coach said. "That's how you do it!"

Jaxon hit one of the players in the back with the blunt end of her stick so she could steal the ball.

Coach shot an annoyed look at one of the other players, #31 and yelled, "Greenberg, take a lap!"

Greenberg set off to run around the field as Coach turned her attention to the lined-up players ready to start their round of one-on-ones. Scottie was at the front of the line and got prepared to start.

"Let's go! Faster, Greenberg! Let's go."

Scottie, looking distracted, was brought back to reality when Coach shouted at her.

"McCall, what are you waiting for? Let's go!"

Coach pointed at Jaxon, who was waiting for her with her long stick in hand, ready to show her up. However, when Scottie clenched her jaw and ran toward her, she was easily tackled by the larger young woman and was tossed flat on her back onto the grassy field. Coach wasted no time in starting to mock her as Scottie grimaced, both in pain and in embarrassment.

"Hey, McCall!"

Over at the line, Stiles winced sympathetically at Scottie's bad play, especially once she saw Coach walking over to where Scottie was still laying on the ground.

"Hey, McCall!"

Scottie lifted her head to see Jaxon smirking above her, looking very satisfied by her successful tackle.

"You sure you still want to be first line, McCall?" Jaxon asked.

Coach finally made it over to Scottie just as Jaxon walked away, and Scottie quickly jumped to her feet, fixing her gloves and pads as Coach began berating her for her poor performance.

Coach stammered, "My-my grandmother can move faster than that -- and she's dead! You think you can move faster than the lifeless corpse of my dead grandmother?"

Scottie's anger and frustration had him doubled over, which began to worry Stiles, who continued to watch from mid-field. Scottie clenched her jaw as she responded in a tight voice to Coach Finstock.

"Yes, Coach," Scottie replied.

Coach, still trying to goad Scottie into a more competitive mindset, continued to mock her, "I can't hear you!"

Fortunately for Scottie, she wasn't looking Coach in the eyes, because her irises flashed gold as she gritted her teeth and repeated herself in an irritated tone of voice.

"Yes. Coach."

Coach, also irritated, moved so her mouth was just inches from Scottie's right ear as she muttered her orders. "Then do it again!"

Scottie clenched her jaw again as she sighed and ran back to position while Coach shouted mockingly toward the rest of the players, "McCall's gonna do it again! McCall's gonna do it again!"